Plantar fasciitis is a pathology that is the most common cause of heel pain.
Etiology and Clinic
The causes of the disease:
• flat feet;
• long standing, walking;
• overweight;
• shoes with high heels;
• age-related changes.
What are plantar fasciitis symptoms? The treatment of the manifestations of the disease depends on the degree of trauma to the heel tendons. The main complaint is the pain that occurs in the sole when walking. She appears after resting at the first steps.
Aseptic inflammation develops, and with the accumulation of calcium salts, a bone growth - osteophyte begins to form. What is plantar fasciitis? Photos of the results of this pathology and knowledge of the
anatomy of the foot can help.
It is interesting that pain in fasciitis can disappear on its own, but this does not mean that the problem is resolved, as the disease progresses.
If you have plantar fasciitis, how to treat this ailment? Before starting therapy, an appropriate diagnosis should be made, which is based on clinical symptoms, examination and x-ray examination.
If plantar fasciitis is detected, the doctor decides how to treat it. Do not think that this is a simple damage that can be repaired by yourself. If you restrict yourself to one method of therapy, it will be difficult to achieve the desired result, so you should use an integrated approach.
For proper diagnosis, you also need to conduct a laboratory study that will exclude certain rheumatological diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis or, for example, Raynaud's syndrome, other systemic inflammatory pathologies), which initially can occur with the appearance of pain in the heel, and only then acquire characteristic clinic.
Treatment must include the selection of comfortable shoes. Orthopedic insoles are also recommended, which, when walking, reduce pressure on the heel.
Plantar fasciitis: how to treat with medication?
For severe pain, non-narcotic analgesics are used - Analgin, Paracetamol or Aspirin. Blockades using glucocorticoids (Hydrocortisone, Diprospan, Kenalog) are effective, which can quickly eliminate pain and local inflammation. If the symptoms of the disease last for more than 6 weeks, then pharmacological therapy may not give the desired result.
Plantar fasciitis: how to treat on your own?
At home, an ice massage can be used to reduce pain and swelling. It is also useful to perform exercises to stretch the Achilles tendon, and during nighttime to provide immobilization of the ankle joint.
Other therapeutic techniques
Comprehensive treatment may include mineral and mud baths, ultrasound, laser, shock wave therapy, as well as physiotherapeutic methods. If necessary, surgical treatment is carried out, which provides for the surgical removal of the bone growth, excision of part of the calcaneal fascia, as well as neurolysis - elimination of compression of nerves in the heel.